Church History/
Biography

We have all heard the saying: “Practice what you preach.” Early in my ministerial training, I became convinced of the importance of the truth that Christians, particularly preachers, should practice what they preach. After several years of working to ensure …Read More

The fourteenth century was a time of Dickensian paradox. Though it was a calamitous time of war, plague, corruption, and social disintegration, it also enjoyed a surprising number of reforms — which would in time bring renewal and restoration to the …Read More

Among all the names mentioned in the letter to the Hebrews, only one belongs to a member of the New Testament church. Here are four clues. If you still can’t get the answer, look up Hebrews 13:23. Clue …Read More

Though his story is hardly the stock and trade of most church historians, James A. Garfield (1831–1881) affords us innumerable lessons about character, faith, and public service. Such lessons are especially relevant for us during these final days leading …Read More

In the unusual turbulence of the seventeenth century, God, in His goodness, raised up a generation of godly leaders to guide His people. Outstanding among these was the stately and erudite John Owen, who, with God-given wisdom, provided clear leadership …Read More

Just as it is generally assumed that religion and politics do not make for particularly pleasant dinner table conversation, it is generally assumed that they do not make for particularly pleasant poetry either. John Milton (b. 1608) sundered both assumptions …Read More

The figure of John Owen (1616–1683) towers above — almost head and shoulders above — the galaxy of writers we know collectively as the English Puritans. His theological learning and acumen was unrivalled; his sense of the importance of doctrine for …Read More

Given John Owen’s Reformed, orthodox convictions, it should not be surprising to learn that he had a high view both of theology and biblical exegesis. Indeed, he regarded the two as intimately related: theology is the result of careful …Read More

Again and again the Scriptures underline the importance of each moment that passes. It is an ethical imperative to act and act quickly when lives are at stake, when justice is perverted, when truth is in jeopardy, when mercy is …Read More

As illustrated in other articles in this issue, the fourth century was a very interesting time in the history of the church. Having undergone a great deal of persecution as a despised religion in the eyes of Rome, the conversion …Read More

By the end of the eighteenth century, the church of Geneva had become a mere shadow of its former glory. The pulpit of John Calvin no longer thundered with the bold truths of the Protestant Reformation. It no longer broadcast …Read More

For Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), the principle of “all things to all men” was not a moral warrant for upholding cultural relativism. Instead, it was a practical mandate for upholding cultural norms. It was for him an inducement to communicate …Read More

He was one of the most important English writers of the eighteenth century. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) ranks right up with William Shakespeare and G.K. Chesterton as among the most quoted prose stylists in the English language. Indeed, it has …Read More

By almost any modern definition, Jan Comenius (1592–1670) was anything but a success. Though Herman Bavink called him “the greatest figure of the second generation of reformers” he is practically forgotten today. Though Andrew Bonar said he was “the …Read More